Watching episode four of “The Last Dance, ” ESPN’s documentary series on the Chicago Bulls’ 1997-98 season, left LeBron James close to tears last Sunday after seeing Michael Jordan cry.
Watching Episode 4. Watching/Seeing MJ hold that first 🏆 damn near had me tearing up 🥺! That feeling and level of emotions is unexplainable when you been through the 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 27, 2020
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar understands where the emotions of his idol were coming from.
Jordan won his first title in 1991 after several years of hard-fought battles with the Detroit Pistons prepared him and his team to become champions.
It took the Bulls legend seven grueling years to hold the Larry O’Brien Trophy in his hands, while James endured nine years of struggle to reach the mountaintop. It’s no wonder that James was able to empathize with Jordan when the episode aired.
However, the Lakers’ 17-year veteran didn’t cry when he won his first two championships back in 2012 and 2013 when he was still playing for the Miami Heat.
It wasn’t until he won a title in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers when James finally let the tears flow. Going back to his home state and winning a championship for the team that drafted him likely made his third title more meaningful.
If the NBA returns to finish out this season, James’ emotions could carry over and inspire him to bring another championship to the Lakers franchise.
The league went on hiatus last month after the Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. The league has not seen action since then.
